Enrollment

Students who have been granted admission t the GSBS are expected to register for course work whether or not they contemplate degree work. Failure to register in the term for which admission is granted will require the student to reapply for admission.

Registration

Registration information is provided during new student orientation prior to the beginning of the Fall semester. Graduate students are permitted to register at any time beginning the first day of advance registration. Advance registration usually begins in April for the Summer and Fall semesters, and in November for the Spring semester. Online registration is available to all admitted students. Instructions for registration and add-drop procedures can be found on the registrar's website.

Students are required to register for appropriate courses in every semester (including summer) in which they expect to receive assistance, use the facilities of the university, or take comprehensive examinations.

The number of hours for which students must enroll in each semester depends on their level of involvement in research and their use of university facilities and faculty time. Students in residence who are devoting full-time to research should enroll for 9 to 12 hours.

Registration by Undergraduates

With the exception of participants in approved early acceptance programs, undergraduate students may not enroll for courses carrying graduate credit unless they are within 12 hours of graduation and have at least a B average in their major subject. The Approval for Graduate Credit form must be approved by the GSBS Office prior to registration. Courses taken without this approval will not be granted graduate credit. With the approval of the GSBS Office, students may take graduate courses for undergraduate credit.

The maximum amount of work that may be scheduled by an undergraduate who is taking courses for graduate credit is 16 hours in a semester or 6 hours in the summer term, including graduate and undergraduate work. Undergraduates permitted to enroll for graduate courses are expected to receive their bachelor’s degree within one year of the first semester of graduate enrollment.

With the exception of participants in approved early acceptance programs, an undergraduate may not receive credit for more than 12 semester hours of GSBS coursework completed prior to admission to the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences as an applicant for a graduate degree.

Registration by Faculty and Staff

Full-time members of the faculty and staff of Texas Tech University or Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) may enroll for courses by permission of the course director, and by completion of the GSBS application. In registering for graduate work, they become subject to the regulations of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. However, no member of the faculty who has held rank higher than instructor at TTUHSC is eligible to pursue a graduate degree program at this institution unless prior approval of the GSBS Office is given. TTUHSC Employees may also utilize the tuition assistance program as outlined in OP 70.47 to receive tuition waivers for one course per semester. To be eligible, employees must be full-time benefits-eligible and seeking a degree or certification.  

General GSBS Requirements

Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE) Core Curriculum

All TTUHSC students,regardless of school affiliation, will be required to complete the IPE core curriculum prior to graduation. The IPE core curriculum is composed of two components including successful completion of a non-credit online course (>70% accuracy on the knowledge post-test) and successful participation in at least one registered IPE learning activity. Failure to complete the IPE core curriculum will result in delayed graduation.

Ethics/Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course

All GSBS students are required to complete a course in ethics (Responsible Conduct in Research).

CORE CURRICULA

Biomedical Sciences Core Curriculum

Students entering the Biomedical Sciences doctoral degree program are admitted as undeclared and must select a concentration by the end of their first Spring semester. Currently, the undeclared option is not available for master’s students. The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences has a one-semester core curriculum for Ph.D. students. This curriculum was designed to give all GSBS students a unified and coordinated foundation that would serve as a basis for further study in individual disciplines within the biomedical sciences. This curriculum is designed to accommodate both undeclared students and students who have declared interests in specific concentrations. Core curriculum courses will be taken during the first semester of the first year, and include Molecules, Cells, Genes, Biomedical Seminar Series, and Introduction to Biomedical Research. For more information please see the Core Curriculum Policy.

Biotechnology Core Curriculum

Students entering the Biotechnology master’s degree program complete a core curriculum requirement in the first year, and elective requirements in year two. The first semester of the first year, students take the same Biomedical Sciences core curriculum required of Ph.D. students, as well as Biotechnology Lab Methods. Core curriculum courses include Molecules, Cells, Genes, and Biomedical Seminar Series. For more information please see the Core Curriculum Policy. The second semester of the first year, students are required to complete the Biotechnology Core courses which include Introduction to Biotechnology, Biomedical Informatics, Biotechnology Seminar, and Techniques in Biotechnology. Students are required to complete an elective. For more information, please see the Biotechnology Guidelines.

Graduate Medical Sciences Core Curriculum

Students entering the Graduate Medical Sciences master’s degree program begin the first year curriculum in early August. The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers required core courses for Graduate Medical Sciences students throughout the two-year curriculum. This curriculum was designed to give all Graduate Medical Sciences students a foundation in medical sciences that would serve as a basis for further study in professional programs (Ph.D., M.D., D.D., etc) or to pursue a career in education. This curriculum is designed to accommodate students seeking a deeper experience in basic medical sciences including current theory of learning and delivery of medical education. Core curriculum courses will be taken during both years, and include Clinically Oriented Anatomy, Biology of Cells and Tissues, Multiple Organ Systems, Teaching Assistant Rotations, Advanced Cell Biology, and Research Project. For more information please see the Graduate Medical Sciences Guidelines.

Pharmaceutical Sciences Core Curriculum.

Students entering the Pharmaceutical Sciences doctoral degree program are admitted as either assigned or rotating students. A rotating student must select an advisor by the end of their first spring semester. Currently, master’s students are admitted only as rotating students. They will complete two rotations within their first semester. Doctoral and Master’s students enrolled in the Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences (GPPS) will complete the core curriculum in two years (by the end of the spring semester of their second year). This curriculum was designed to give all GPPS students a unified and coordinated foundation that would serve as a basis for further study in individual disciplines within the pharmaceutical sciences. This curriculum is designed to accommodate both doctoral and master’s students who have declared interests in specific concentrations. Core curriculum courses will be taken during the first two years, and include Biochemistry, Experimental Design and Biostatistics, Responsible Conduct of Research, Principles of Drug Action, Graduate Pharmaceutics, Basic Pharmacokinetics and Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar Series. Doctoral students will complete the core curriculum with Physiology- based Pharmacology. For more information please see the Core Curriculum Policy, here:: http://www.ttuhsc.edu/pharmacy/documents/pharmaceutical-sciences/Core_Curriculum.pdf.

Public Health Core Curriculum

The Julia Jones Matthew’s Department of Public Health offers a General Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. This degree, which takes an interdisciplinary approach that goes beyond the scope of any single public health concentration, offers students the ability to experience the broad field of public health and provides them with formal training in the methods of community and population health research and practice. As such, the General MPH degree allows greater flexibility in elective course selection. All students in the MPH program are expected to complete 12 core courses before graduation. These core courses are Introduction to Social and Behavioral Sciences, Introduction to Biostatistics, Introduction to Public Health, Responsible Conduct of Research and Communication in Public Health, Introduction to Epidemiology, Basic Environmental Health Sciences, Public Health Policy, Community Based Methods and Practice, Organizational Leadership and Management, Issues in Rural Health, Applied Practice Experience and Integrated Learning Experience.  

Biomedical Sciences Core Curriculum Policy

This policy applies only to the GSBS Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. program.

Overview

All biomedical science fields recognize the need for high levels of integration of scientific knowledge to accelerate opportunities for basic and translational research. Toward that end, full-time research is preceded by a curriculum that introduces scientific facts and provides opportunities for the development of critical thinking, synthesis of information, development of factual knowledge, and the ability to read and comprehend original literature. These skills serve as a foundation for all concentrations/programs in the GSBS.

Curriculum Design and Courses

The Core Curriculum consists of the five Core Courses taken in the first semester. GSBS requires that all doctoral students take all core courses in the first semester of enrollment and Responsible Conduct of Research in the second semester.

Core Curriculum Courses

1. GSBS 5471 - Core I: Molecules - This course offers a broad coverage of biochemistry with an emphasis on structure and function of macromolecules, biosynthesis of small molecule precursors of macromolecules, and the pathways of intermediary metabolism.
2. GSBS 5372 - Core II: Cells - The structure/function relationships that underlie basic cellular processes, including translation protein trafficking, cytoskeletal organization and motility, cell adhesion, and cell division.
3. GSBS 5373 - Core III: Genes - Teaches essential scientific cocnepts underlying the field of Molecular biology and Molecular Genetics.
4. GSBS 5174 - Core IV: Biomedical Seminar Series - Students will attend and participate in seminars
5. GSBS 5275 - Core V: Introduction to Biomedical Research - Introduces the first-year graduate student to the fundamental principles and techniques in basic biomedical research.

Opting Out of Core Curriculum Courses

Students who have a master's degree in a biomedical or biological sciences discipline may request to opt out of the individual core courses, Core I, Core II or Core III. GSBS 5174 (Core IV), and GSBS 5275 (Core V) may not be waived. A waiver request to the GSBS Dean must come from the student’s graduate program/concentration advisor, or in the case of undeclared students, from the GSBS Senior Associate Dean. When applicable, the request should include a course syllabus and grade received for each course that is considered equivalent to the core courses for which a waiver is requested (for transfer credit, a syllabus and grade are required). The waiver request must be made prior to the first day of class. The request will be reviewed by the Course Director of the course requesting to be waived, and the recommendation evaluated by the Core Curriculum Coordination (CCC) Committee. The GSBS Office will notify the student and graduate advisor prior to the 12th day of class. During the time prior to the waiver, the student must audit the core course for which a waiver is requested.

PROBATION AND DISMISSAL

GSBS students are required to maintain a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0. If a student fails to maintain the required minimum GPA, she or he will be placed on academic probation. For more information, see the Academic Probation Policy.

• Students may also be placed on probation for not completing the Core Courses within the first semester. 
• Students may not drop a Core Course for academic reasons (reasonable exceptions will be made for sickness, etc., at the discretion of the GSBS Dean). 
• Students receiving a grade of C or below in Core Course I, II or III will be required to repeat the course.
• Students receiving grades of C or below in two or more Core Courses will be at risk of dismissal.

TUTORING.

Group tutoring is available through the GSBS. Once tutoring dates have been scheduled, the GSBS will notify students. Some group tutoring is also available and conducted by course directors or organized through the graduate student association (GSA).

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

All GSBS students are required to take the ethics course (GSBS 5101, Responsible Conduct of Research) and GSBS 5000 Interprofessional Collaborative Practice. Most programs/concentrations also have a statistics course requirement; GSBS offers the GSBS 5310 Introduction to Statistical Methods course, though other courses may meet the requirement.

Waiving Requirements

Each program/concentration has specific requirements of graduate students outside the general requirements of GSBS. Graduate students may petition to waive a specific requirement (a course) if the student has taken a similar course; however, GSBS 5174 and GSBS 5275 will not be waived. For waiving other Core Curriculum courses see the Core Curriculum Policy. Approval for waiving requirements is considered within each academic area. General guidelines for this process are as follows (check with the graduate advisor for specific guidelines): 

1. The student petitions their graduate advisor in writing, describing the course he or she wishes to waive and the pertinent details on the course previously taken (the course must have been completed within a certain amount of time as determined by the faculty within the academic area). 
2. The student must provide an original transcript from the previous institution clearly displaying that the course was taken and satisfactorily passed with a “B” or better. 
3. The student must also provide a complete syllabus for the previously taken course in order for the graduate advisor to determine if the content of the course is substantially similar to the course in which a waiver is being requested. 
4. For courses outside the core curriculum, the graduate advisor will present all of this information to the CCC committee or program/concentration faculty who will decide if the request is to be granted or denied. 
5. In cases where the graduate faculty committee cannot decide the appropriateness of the request, they may require the student to take and pass a comprehensive examination on the contents of the course. 

Courses that are waived do not reflect on the student’s HSC transcript nor do the credit hours count toward the degree. Documentation for waiving a course will be maintained in the GSBS office.

Undeclared Students

Undeclared students are advised to select a concentration no earlier than the last day of class of the Fall semester (Year 1). Undeclared students must select a mentor and concentration by the end of the Spring semester (Year 1). To assist in making these choices there are three key procedures:
a) At the earliest possible date, whether that be before or after New Student Orientation, the First-year Student PhD Advisor will meet with each first-year student and advise them regarding Year 1 course selection, lab rotations, GSBS policy for selecting a concentration, and other academic issues.
b) As part of the core curriculum course, Core V: Introduction to Biomedical Research (GSBS 5275), undeclared students will undertake laboratory rotations of their choosing and receive additional advising regarding choosing a mentor and a graduate concentration.
c) First-year students are required to enroll in Core IV: Biomedical Seminar Series (GSBS 5174).

Once a mentor and graduate concentration have been selected by mutual agreement between student and mentor, the Application for Change in Major form should be prepared by the student, relevant graduate advisor, department administrator, and submitted to the GSBS office for final approval of the Dean.

The requirements specified in this selection policy are intended to balance student needs with access/representation of each of the Biomedical Sciences Program concentrations.

General Information

Registration Without Credit (Auditing)

Persons who wish to audit a course for no grade must obtain written permission from the GSBS Office and the instructor using the Permission to Audit Course without Credit form. Those who audit a course do so for the purpose of hearing or seeing only and will not receive a grade or credit in the course. Students auditing a course will not be listed on the class roll, and no notation of the audit will be made on the student's transcript.

Transfer Credit

There is no automatic transfer of credit from another university toward a graduate degree within the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. In general, all such work is subject to review and approval by the graduate advisor within the academic area and by the GSBS Office. No work completed with a grade of less than B will be considered (a grade of B is defined by the numerical range 80-89) and no more than 30 hours of an earned Master’s degree from another institution may be transferred. All students must submit an official transcript and syllabus for each course along with the request for transfer at the time the degree plan is submitted to the GSBS office.

Students may petition for approval of a graduate level course taken at another institution to satisfy a program/concentration requirement by providing documentation that the course is equivalent to a GSBS course which satisfies the requirement. The request to substitute a course should be submitted to the graduate advisor in the first semester after matriculation. If approved by the graduate program committee, the request will be forwarded to the GSBS Office for final approval. To substitute and/or opt out of a core course, see Core Curriculum Coordination (CCC) Committee.

Experiential credit is only approved in advance for matriculated GSBS students who may spend a semester learning research techniques in an approved laboratory outside of the institution and this must be requested in writing to the GSBS Office on a case-by-case basis. For credit to be awarded the GSBS Office will determine how much credit may be earned and it will be awarded under a Special Topics course number.

Graduate credit is not granted for courses taken by correspondence.  

Full-Time Study.

GSBS semesters are 15 weeks (45 contact hours for a 3 semester-credit-hour course). The general rule is that a student may not earn more than 1 hour of credit for each week of the enrollment period. Any exceptions to this rule must have the prior approval of the GSBS Office. Normal full-time enrollment varies between 9 and 13 hours for doctoral students and 9 and 16 hours for Masters and temporary students during the regular semester. The minimum enrollment for full-time graduate status is 9 hours per semester. Full-time enrollment for the summer term is 6 hours. Normally, the maximum allowable number of hours per semester is 13 for doctoral students, 16 for Masters and temporary students, and 6 in the summer term. Students on fellowships, assistantships, or other appointments designed for the support of graduate study must meet full-time enrollment requirements each semester.

If a student is devoting full time to research, using university facilities and faculty time, the schedule should reflect at least 9 hours enrollment (6 hours in the summer term).

Registration in an individual study, research, or similar course implies an expected level of effort on the part of the student comparable to that associated with an organized class with the same credit value.

A doctoral student not on campus who is required to register solely for the purpose of satisfying a continuous enrollment requirement need not register for more than 1 credit hour during each term (a doctoral student not on campus who is involved in internship, research, or another type of academic study should register for credit hours in proportion to the teaching effort required of the graduate faculty).

Changes in Schedule and Withdrawal. A graduate student who wishes to add or drop a course must initiate such action with their graduate advisor. Students should follow the academic calendar for deadlines associated with add/drop and withdrawing from a course. A student who no longer attends a course without an official withdrawal will receive an F in that course.

Transferring within GSBS Programs/Concentrations. Students who wish to change their academic area – that is, transfer from one program/concentration to another within GSBS – should first notify their current graduate advisor of their intent to transfer. Once notification has been given, the student should contact the graduate advisor of the new program or concentration they wish to enter. If the program/concentration is willing to accept the student, the student should have the new graduate advisor approve the transfer by signing the Application for Change in Major form. Once the form has been signed by the new graduate advisor, the form must be approved by the GSBS Office.

Students can change their academic major at any time during a term; however, it will not be effective until the beginning of the following term. Only students in good standing may transfer into another academic area within GSBS. Students who have been dismissed may reapply to another graduate program through the application process; however, they are not eligible to utilize the Application for Change in Major form.

Maximum Allowable Graduate Hours. Students not making timely progress toward completion of a graduate degree are subject to termination by the GSBS Office. The Texas Legislature has capped formula fundable graduate hours and imposed sanctions upon universities permitting registration for excess hours. Doctoral students beyond the maximum allowable graduate hours as determined by the Texas Legislature (129 hours) may be required to pay out-of-state tuition, regardless of residence status. The GSBS Office must approve exceptions or extensions in advance. (See 129 Hour Rule).

Scholarships. The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) seeks to continually recruit and retain the best quality students. In support of that goal, GSBS offers various scholarships throughout the year. Information about all GSBS scholarships can be found on the Scholarships page of the GSBS website. Please note, students must be in good academic standing to receive scholarships.  

Expectations of Professionalism

Professionalism Statement. All Students must adhere to the TTUHSC Student Handbook Code of Professional Conduct.Students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner in all interactions with TTUHSC students, faculty, staff, guests, and administration. Though not exhaustive, examples of unprofessional conduct include: late tuition payment; disrespectful email communication, including failure to respond to email communications; or obstructive, disrespectful, bullying, or threatening behavior in the classroom, laboratory or workplace. Responsibility of Students. Each graduate student is expected to become thoroughly familiar with academic guidelines, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences regulations, and degree requirements. Failure to follow the regulations and requirements almost inevitably results in complications for which the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences cannot assume responsibility. Annual Review. The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences requires faculty to conduct a formal review of their students’ progress at least once a year. The “Record of GSBS Committee Meeting” should be filed with the GSBS office within 7 days of the meeting. In lieu of the form, the student’s committee minutes may also be provided as proof of the meeting. Any student not making satisfactory progress toward the degree may be placed on probation and given conditions to stay in the GSBS program. Continued unsatisfactory progress in any area of a student’s work will be cause for dismissal.

Attendance. Whenever attendance and/or participation forms a basis for a portion or all of a course grade, students must be provided with explicit written information (within the course syllabus) during the first week of classes. Such information shall be specific with regard to the penalty incurred for each absence and the means, if any, to compensate for the absence. It should be recognized that there may be certain situations where the student may not be permitted to make up the absence(s). Excused absences are determined by the course director.

Extracurricular Activities. Graduate students may participate in extracurricular activities within university policies. The Graduate Student Association and the Student Government Association offer many opportunities for participation. Students are also encouraged to participate in the annual Student Research Week during the first week of March. This consists of three consecutive days of poster competitions and guest seminars. Faculty will not hold classes or exams (unless an exception has been granted prior to the beginning of the Spring semester, by the GSBS Dean) during this week so that all GSBS students can participate and gain experience presenting a poster. Off-campus sites will make reasonable accommodations so that GSBS students on distant campuses may also participate.

Leave of Absence. Any student who fails to register for three consecutive semesters (12 months) and who does not have an official leave of absence from study is subject to review for readmission by the standards in effect at the time of reconsideration. Official leave of absence, which is granted by the GSBS Office upon recommendation of the graduate advisor or advisory committee Chair, may be granted only in cases of serious medical conditions and other exceptional reasons. Normally, leaves of absence will not exceed one year. Leaves of absence do not extend the maximum time allowed for completion of the degree.

TTUHSC Electronic Mail. To facilitate communications, GSBS solely utilizes the TTUHSC- assigned e-mail account (i.e. first.last@ttuhsc.edu). It is the student’s responsibility to check this account for important information and notifications.

Computers. A number of GSBS courses require a laptop computer and therefore it is strongly recommended that all incoming students obtain an appropriate laptop computer. You can see recommended configurations requirements page here.  

Grades

Grades. The grades used in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) are: A, B, C, D, and F and all grades are used in computing grade point averages. Instructors may NOT choose to add a plus or a minus to the grade. Graduate credit is given for courses completed with grades of A, B, and C; however, individual program/concentrations may require a student to retake courses in which a “C” was obtained.

Graduate faculty have the option to use pass-fail grades (P and F) for individually arranged courses, professional seminars, and certain other courses. Student committees and/or the advisor (if student committees have not been established) may approve graduate students to take elective courses as pass-fail, however, no more than one-fourth of a student’s course work may be graded pass-fail.

Students wishing to take a course pass-fail must get approval from their committee and notify the GSBS office prior to registering for the course. A student must declare the intent to take a course pass-fail no later than the last day on which a grade of W is automatically given for courses dropped. A student who has chosen to take a course pass-fail may not subsequently change to a letter-graded basis. Graded courses that students elect to take pass-fail will be converted using the following scale: A, B = Pass; C, D, and F = Fail. A grade of F received on a course taken pass-fail will be computed into the grade point average. The names of students taking a course pass-fail will not be made known to the instructor.

The graduate faculty within the program/concentration in which the major will be declared will decide whether courses taken under the pass-fail system will count toward satisfying the degree requirements.

Grading Symbols CR, I, W, and WF. The symbol “CR” (credit) is normally assigned for every enrollment in a master’s thesis or doctor’s dissertation section until the completed document has been approved by the student’s committee and accepted by the GSBS Office. At that time a letter grade will be entered for the final enrollment. Faculty may elect to grade the last 6 hours of thesis (12 hours of dissertation) by preparing a grade change form if a portion of those hours were taken in a previous semester.

“CR” may be given by a professor when a student’s work in other individual research courses is not completed but is satisfactorily in progress at the end of a semester. When the research is completed, a standard letter grade should be entered for the final semester.

The symbol “I” (incomplete) may be given by a faculty member when a student’s work in a course has not been completed at the end of a semester and when failure to complete the work has been due to causes beyond the student’s control. It is not used as a substitute for an F. Only the Registrar’s office can enter a grade of “I”. The course director must complete the Grade of Incomplete form which requires the student, instructor, Chair or Advisor, and GSBS Dean signatures. The form should be electronically signed and forwarded to the next required signature on the list. For GSBS Dean signature, the form should be emailed to pamela.johnson@ttuhsc.edu. If there is no action on the part of the student after one year, the “I” will automatically become an F.

When a student officially withdraws from a course by the specified date early in the term, a grade of “W” (withdraw) will be assigned. A withdrawal after the specified date will result in a grade of “W” or “WF” (withdraw/fail), according to the assessment of the student’s work in the course up to the time of the official withdrawal. A student who no longer attends a course without an official withdrawal will receive an F in that course. The grade of “W” does not affect GPA, but “WF” is calculated into the GPA.

Academic Probation and Dismissal. Every student enrolled in the GSBS, whether working toward a degree or not, is required to maintain a high level of performance and to comply fully with policies of the institution. The GSBS reserves the right to place on probation, or to dismiss, any graduate student who does not maintain satisfactory academic standing, or who fails to conform to the regulations of the TTUHSC.

If a graduate student’s GPA for a particular semester falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on academic probation. Additional details may be found in the Academic Probation Policy.

Academic Probation Policy

Purpose: To ensure understanding of the academic performance standards set forth by the GSBS.

Every student enrolled in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), whether working toward a degree or not, is required to maintain a high level of performance and to comply fully with policies of the institution. The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences reserves the right to place on probation or to dismiss any graduate student who does not maintain satisfactory academic standing or who fails to conform to the regulations of TTUHSC.

1. If a student's graduate GPA for a particular semester falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on academic probation. The student must make a 3.0 GPA or better in each semester in which he or she is enrolled. Failure to maintain a 3.0 GPA in each succeeding semester, may result in academic dismissal from GSBS. Regulations governing scholastic probation are based on semester grade-point averages and will be applied regardless of overall grade- point average.
2. Academic programs or concentrations may apply standards for probation and suspension higher than those established by the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Such standards are to be approved by the GSBS Office, and actions based thereon are to be recommended by the graduate advisor and forwarded to the GSBS Office. 
3. The minimum requirement for graduation is a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses taken for graduate credit, exclusive of the credits for the thesis/dissertation. 

Students that are placed on academic probation will lose their tuition & fee scholarships for the semester immediately preceding the semester that they are placed on academic probation. The student must make a 3.0 GPA or better in the semester that the scholarship is forfeited to regain the tuition & fee scholarship. Students on academic probation will not be eligible for scholarships.

Any student who has been suspended must appeal to the GSBS Office if reinstatement is desired. Refer to the Complaint Policy for specific details and procedures.

Students who have been dismissed must appeal to the GSBS if reinstatement is desired. Procedures to appeal academic dismissal are found in the Complaint Policy. A student may also be dismissed for unprofessional conduct such as cheating or plagiarism. Appeals for this type of dismissal are subject to the provisions under the Code of Student Conduct. See the TTUHSC Student Affairs Handbook and the Dismissal Policy for further information.

DISMISSAL POLICY

Purpose: To outline conditions or circumstances that may provide sufficient cause for dismissal of graduate students.

The following conditions or circumstances may provide sufficient cause for dismissal of a student from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Graduate students who:

• do not make adequate academic progress as defined by the program/concentration; 
• do not maintain an acceptable GPA as defined by the Academic Probation Policy 
• engage in academic or research misconduct; or 
• engage in illegal, fraudulent, or unethical behavior as defined in the Student Affairs Handbook - Code of Professional and Academic Conduct; or 
• do not complete the required core courses by the end of the second year (which includes the 5 core courses and the Responsible Conduct of Research). 

 There may also be other unusual situations in which a student may be dismissed. In each case, the dismissal should follow the following procedures:

Lack of Adequate Academic Progress

Failure to maintain an acceptable GPA will result in academic warning, probation or dismissal according to the GSBS Academic Probation policy. In addition, students who have not been placed on probation, but who are not making adequate academic progress, must be warned in writing of the possibility of dismissal. They will be given a clear statement about what must be done within a specified time period to alleviate the problem. These expectations must be reasonable and consistent with expectations held for all students. If the student does not meet the requirements within the time frame specified, he/she may be dismissed. Upon recommendation from the graduate advisor, the GSBS Office will notify the student of his/her dismissal. Students may appeal this dismissal following the procedures outlined in the Complaint Policy.

Academic or Research Misconduct/Illegal, Fraudulent, or Unethical Behavior

The process for dismissing students as a result of academic or research misconduct; or as a result of illegal, fraudulent, or unethical behavior is outlined in the Student Affairs Handbook - Code of Professional and Academic Conduct.

Allegations of scientific misconduct (fraud, dishonesty, scientific misconduct, or misconduct in science) will be investigated by the TTUHSC Research Integrity Officer as outlined in HSC OP 73.07 Honesty in Research & Allegations of Scientific Misconduct. Scientific misconduct is defined as fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other practices that materially deviate from those that are commonly accepted within the scientific and academic communities for proposing, conducting, or reporting research. It also includes other material deviations from accepted scientific practices such as failure to report unethical research practices, obstruction of another’s research, violation of confidentiality, intentional deception, omission or research dishonesty, repeated incidents of regulatory noncompliance and misuse of research funds. It does not include honest errors or honest differences in interpretations or judgments of data.

Other Situations

A regularly admitted graduate student who has not been registered for three consecutive semesters (including the summer term) is dismissed unless a leave of absence has been approved.

Any student who does not complete all requirements for a graduate degree within the time limit will be dismissed.

Graduate Advisors may recommend dismissing students for situations other than those specified above. When doing so, the graduate advisor must notify the student in writing of the possibility of dismissal. If it is possible for the student to rectify the situation, he/she must be given a clear statement about what must be done within a specified time period to alleviate the problem. These expectations must be reasonable and consistent with expectations held for all students. If the student does not meet the requirements within the time frame specified, he/she may be dismissed.

If the situation cannot be rectified, the graduate advisor will send justification for the dismissal to the GSBS Office. If warranted, the GSBS Office will notify the student in writing of the grounds for dismissal and the date when the dismissal will be effective. This will normally be the end of the semester in which the student is enrolled, but the circumstances of the dismissal will be important in determining this date. Students may appeal their dismissal by following the procedures outlined in the Graduate Student Complaint Policy.

Complaints

This section covers two areas of complaints: Grade Appeals and Non-Grade Grievances

Grade Appeal

Purpose: To provide the student with a safeguard against receiving an unfair final grade, while respecting the academic responsibility of the faculty.

It is the policy of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences to affirm the right of its students to a prompt and fair resolution of a complaint or grievance. Thus, this policy recognized that:

• Every student has a right to receive a grade assigned based on a fair and unprejudiced evaluation of the student’s performance using a method that is neither arbitrary nor capricious; and, 
• Faculty have the right to assign a grade based on any method that is professionally acceptable, submitted in writing to all students, and applied equally. 

 The following procedure provides students with a system by which to file an appeal of a final grade they believe was based on arbitrary or capricious action by the faculty. Only the final course grade as entered into the official TTUHSC system may be appealed. The burden of proof that such an influence has affected a final grade rests with the student.

Prior to filing an official grade appeal, the student must meet with the course director to review how the faculty arrived at the final grade. If after the meeting with the faculty the student wishes to pursue filing a final grade appeal, the following procedures shall be followed.

A. GRADE APPEAL

1. Students must file a Grade Appeal Form (Attachment A), available on-line (https://student.ttuhsc.edu/graduate-school-of-biomedical-sciences/current), within three (3) business days, of the date the final grade is posted in Banner. The Grade Appeal Form is to be filed with the GSBS Office. All documents to support the appeal must accompany the Grade Appeal Form. Documents received after the log-in date of the Grade Appeal Form will not be accepted. 
2. The GSBS Office will forward the appeal and all supporting documents to the appropriate programmatic graduate advisor/program director. Note: If the course director is also the graduate advisor/program director, the appeal will go directly to the GSBS Assistant Dean. 
3. The Graduate Advisor/Program Director shall meet with the faculty and student separately and review all materials pertinent to the grade appeal. 
4. After review of all materials, the Graduate Advisor/Program Director shall, within five (5) business days from receipt of the formal grade appeal, render a decision. The student shall be notified of the decision via electronic correspondence to the student’s TTUHSC email address. A copy of the decision is forwarded to the GSBS Assistant Dean. The grade appeal decision is deemed received by the student when received electronically by the student at his/her TTUHSC email address. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the university advised of any change in contact information such as email or mailing address. 
5. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Graduate Advisor / Program Director, she/he may appeal to the GSBS Assistant Dean by submitting a detailed written explanation setting forth each and every reason why she/he believes the grade is unjust. Any reason not set forth in writing will not be considered. Such explanation must be submitted within two (2) business days from the receipt of the written decision of the Graduate Advisor/Program Director. The Assistant Dean will review the written responses from the student, Course Director and the Graduate Advisor/Program Director. The Assistant Dean must provide a written response to the student via TTUHSC student email account within two (2) business days from receipt of the appeal. The decision of the academic substantive review by the GSBS Assistant Dean is final. 
6. All records related to the appeal are retained by the GSBS office for a period of three (3) years. 
7. The student may only appeal issues of procedural due process to the GSBS Sr. Associate Dean. 

 B. PROCEDURAL APPEAL

1. The student may file an appeal on procedural grounds following receipt of the final decision on the appeal of the grade. A procedural appeal should be filed with the GSBS Office within two (2) business days of the student receiving the GSBS Assistant Dean’s decision on the grade appeal. A memo stating justification for the procedural appeal should be emailed to the Sr. Associate Dean. 
2. Upon review of all materials and meeting with the student, graduate advisor/program director, assistant dean and course director, the Sr. Associate Dean shall render a decision on the procedural appeal within three (3) business days from receipt of the procedural appeal. 
3. The decision of the Sr. Associate Dean will be sent to the student via electronic correspondence to the student’s TTUHSC email address. The decision of the Sr. Associate Dean is final. 
4. All records will be retained by the GSBS office for 3 years.

Non-Grade Grievance Policy

Purpose: To define the process for students to resolve and/or file a complaint regarding all academic issues except for Academic Dishonesty (see the TTUHSC Code of Student Conduct).

It is the policy of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences to affirm the right of its students to a prompt and fair resolution of an academic complaint or grievance. The Student Hearing committee will administer the GSBS’s policies regarding student grievances and will insure that due process is afforded to all concerned.

All student disciplinary hearings are closed, and for purposes of release of information regarding such hearings, such information is protected from public disclosure as allowed by law.

PROCEDURE (Non-Grade Complaints):

Early Resolution 

1. Prior to filing a request for a hearing, the student must attempt to resolve the issue with the individual(s) involved. 
2. If not satisfied with the outcome of the effort described in item 1, the student must contact the Graduate Advisor/Program Director. The graduate advisor/program director will investigate the complaint, attempt to reconcile differences, and find an acceptable solution. (If the grievance is against the graduate advisor, the student should contact the Department Chair).
   
   If the complaint originates in Amarillo, Abilene or El Paso, the student must contact the regional Associate Dean. A complaint against the Regional Associate Dean should be filed with the Sr. Associate Dean.
   
    If not satisfied with the outcome of the first two efforts, the student must contact the Assistant Dean. The Assistant Dean will investigate the complaint, attempt to reconcile differences, and find an acceptable solution. The Assistant Dean will provide a written statement of his/her recommendation to all parties, who will then have ten (10) business days* to respond. (If the grievance is against the Assistant Dean, the student should contact the Sr. Associate Dean). If the grievance is satisfactorily resolved by any of the above discussions, the terms of the resolution shall be reduced to writing and signed by the graduate student, respondent, and administrative superior involved in negotiations. Every effort should be made to resolve the issue without going beyond this level.
   
    * Throughout this document, the phrase “business days” refers to days when the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences administrative offices are open, and excludes weekends and holidays. 

 Formal Complaint

1. If the student is not satisfied with the Assistant Dean’s recommendation, he/she may pursue the matter further by contacting the Sr. Associate Dean. The grievance must be submitted to the GSBS Office within twenty (20) business days from the time that the graduate student knows of the matter prompting the grievance, or the graduate student relinquishes any opportunity to pursue the grievance. The grievance must include a specific statement of the student’s complaint, a clear and concise statement of the policy or procedures violated, an explanation of what remedy the student seeks, and a copy of the Assistant Dean’s recommended resolution. 
2. The Sr. Associate Dean will attempt to resolve the appeal within ten (10) class days through conferencing with the respondent and student appellant. If not resolved within 10 class days, the Sr. Associate Dean will appoint a Hearing Committee that will consider the appeal. 
3. If a Student Hearing committee is appointed, they must convene within thirty (30) business days. 
4. The Sr. Associate Dean will forward the request for a hearing to the appropriate faculty member who has been appointed by the Dean to serve as the Chair of the Student Hearing committee. 

Student Pre-Hearing Procedure

1. Grievances shall be heard by the GSBS Student Hearing committee which shall be composed of members of the GSBS Graduate Faculty:
   One faculty member who is appointed by the GSBS Dean to serve as chair;
   Two students from programs/concentrations not directly involved;
   Two faculty members from programs/concentrations not directly involved;
   The GSBS Dean will appoint an administrative staff person to take minutes of the meetings. This staff person will not be a voting member. Both parties can petition to have individuals selected to the Student Hearing committee. 
2. At least fifteen (15) business days prior to the student hearing, the Chair of the Student Hearing committee will provide written notice to the parties of the following:
   a. Date, time and place for the hearing,
   b. Name of the members of the Student Hearing Committee
   c. Summary statement of the Hearing Request(s) and respondents response. 
3. Either party may challenge in writing the impartiality of any member of the Student Hearing Committee up to three (3) business days after receiving the Hearing Notice by submitting their reasons for the challenge to the Chair of the Hearing Committee.
   
   Any member of the Student Hearing committee whose participation is challenged shall be required to establish to the Chair of the Student Hearing committee that the member can serve with fairness and objectivity. If the member cannot establish his or her fairness and objectivity to the satisfaction of the Chair of the Student Hearing Committee, the member in question shall be removed and a substitute will be appointed by the Dean. 
4. At least seven (7) business days prior to the student hearing, all parties will provide to the Chair of the Student Hearing Committee: a. A copy of all written supporting documentation that the party will present at the hearing
   b. A list of witnesses to be called by the party. Each party is responsible for ensuring that witnesses are at the hearing, and
   c. The name of any advocate who will accompany the party to the hearing and whether the advocate is an attorney.
   
   The Chair of the Student Hearing Committee will provide all such information to the hearing committee at least five (5) days before the hearing. 
5. A student hearing will be conducted in closed session. Any request for an exception must be submitted in writing to the Chair of the Student Hearing Committee, who shall render a final written decision.
   
   HEARING PROCEDURE 
6. Both parties shall attend the hearing and be offered an opportunity to state their positions, and present testimony and other evidence relevant to the case. The responsibility of establishing the validity of the grievance shall rest with the student. The evidence shall be presented by the graduate student and then by the respondent. 
7. The student may have an advisor present at the hearing. The advisor must be a member of the TTUHSC community. However, if the student is also the subject of a pending criminal investigation, indictment or charge arising out of the same circumstances, he or she may be allowed to have an attorney serve as his or her advisor, at his or her own expense, to participate in the same manner as any other advisor. If an advisor for the student is an attorney, an attorney from the Office of General Counsel shall attend the Student Hearing on behalf of the Health Sciences Center. The Health Sciences Center will provide legal counsel for the student hearing if the Student Hearing Committee Chair deems it necessary. 
8. The student is responsible for presenting her or her own information, and therefore, advisors are not permitted to speak or to participate directly in any student hearing before the Student Hearing Committee. A student should select as an advisor a person whose schedule allows attendance at the scheduled date and time for the student hearing, as delays will not be allowed due to the scheduling conflicts of an advisor, except at the discretion of the Student Hearing Committee Chair upon written request seven business days in advance of the date scheduled for the student hearing.
   
   Members of the Student Hearing committee may question all witnesses, followed by the parties. Questioning by both parties may be limited by the sole discretion of the Chair of the Student Hearing Committee for such issues as preserving the civility of the hearing, avoiding redundant and irrelevant questioning, and/or providing for the efficient administration of the hearing. Witnesses are permitted to attend the student hearing only during the time they are providing testimony, or are being questioned by either party or the committee unless the Student Hearing Committee Chair, in his/her sole discretion determines otherwise. 
   
   
9. Both parties may arrange for witnesses to present pertinent information to the Student Hearing Committee. Both parties are responsible for arranging for the voluntary attendance of his or her own witnesses. 
10. In its sole discretion, the Student Hearing Committee may call other witnesses not identified by either party. If prior to the hearing the Student Hearing Committee anticipates calling additional witnesses, the committee shall notify the Student Hearing Committee Chair. The Student Hearing Committee Chair will then arrange for the voluntary attendance of the witnesses identified by the Student Hearing Committee. The Student Hearing Committee Chair shall notify both parties of the additional witnesses. If any witness call by the Student Hearing Committee intends to present written information to the Student Hearing Committee, the Student Hearing Committee Chair is responsible for forwarding such information to both parties and the Student Hearing Committee prior to the hearing. 
11. Following the presentation of evidence, the committee will permit each party to present a brief closing statement. 
12. The GSBS shall record, either digitally, through audiotape, or otherwise as deemed appropriate the hearing committees proceeding until such time that the student hearing committee begins discussion and deliberation and prepares its Findings and Recommendations. Deliberations shall not be recorded. The record is university property. Pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, the student will be allowed to review, but not to copy, the hearing record 34 C.F.R 99.10 (2003). Neither party nor any witnesses are permitted to make any independent record of the proceedings. 
13. The Student is expected to attend and participate in the Student Hearing committee. If either party elects not to attend a hearing after appropriate written notice, the case will be reviewed as scheduled on the basis of the information available, and a recommendation will be made by the committee. Although no inference may be drawn against the student for failing to attend a hearing or remaining silent, the hearing will proceed and the conclusion will be based on the evidence presented. No decision shall be based solely on the failure of the student to attend the hearing or answer the charges.  

Hearing Committee Findings and Final Disposition

After completion of the hearing, the hearing committee shall adjourn and meet in closed session to discuss, deliberate and prepare the Finding and Recommendations. The Student Hearing Committee will determine the recommendations by a simple majority (more than half of the votes cast) of members present at the hearing. The Hearing committee’s Findings and Recommendations Report shall be forwarded to the Dean, a copy is also sent to both parties for review and determination of necessary action. The Dean will forward a letter to all concerned parties, enclosing copies of the Hearing committee report, and directing what action will be taken within 10 business days from the conclusion of the hearing. This letter will be sent via certified mail to the student’s last known official, mailing address as provided by the student to the Registrar’s Office and electronically to the student’s HSC email account. The decision of the Dean regarding the hearing committee’s findings of fact and recommendations will be final.

Appeal

Within ten (10) business days of receipt of the decision of the Dean, if either party believes that the due process procedures have been violated, an appeal may be made, in writing, to the President of the University. The President will review the case and notify all parties of his or her decision within ten (10) business days. If a written appeal is not submitted within ten (10) business days following receipt of the Dean’s letter, the right to appeal is thereby waived and the Dean’s decision is final. Either party may only raise, or the President shall only consider, the following:
a. Whether a procedural deviation occurred that substantially affected the outcome of the case;
b. Whether there is new information sufficient to alter the Findings or other relevant facts not available or mentioned in the original hearing, because such information and/or facts were not known to the person appealing at the time of the original Student Hearing committee.

The President will review the Findings and Recommendations and, at his or her sole discretion, the record from the Student Hearing committee and supporting documents, and transmit his or her decision in writing to both parties, the Student Hearing Committee Chair, and the Dean. The President’s decision shall be final.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The Student Hearing Committee shall not retain in their possession any personal files, materials received during the appeal procedure, or notes taken during the hearing. The administrative staff person will collect all materials and return them to the GSBS office to retain in a confidential file. No part, committee member, or other participant or observer in the hearing procedure shall reveal any facts, documents, or testimony gained through participating in or observing the hearing to any other person, unless required by a court of law to do so or upon the advice of the TTUHSC’s legal counsel.

* Throughout this document, the phrase “business days” refers to days when the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences administrative offices are open, and excludes weekends and holidays.

GRADUATE AWARDS

Purpose:

To outline the qualifications and selections process for the GSBS Graduate Awards: K. Wyatt McMahon Outstanding Graduate Student and the Dean’s Recognition Award.

Requirements to qualify:

The graduating student must be nominated by his or her respective program /concentration.

The student will be selected by accomplishments in the following areas:

• Educational merit (e.g. GPA, coursework, course load, etc.) 
• Contributions made to TTUHSC and its students 
• Contributions made to GSBS 
• Contributions made to the student’s laboratory 
• Contributions made to the scientific discipline evidence by peer reviewed publications and meeting presentations 
• Receipt of research funding and/or scholarships 
• Community service 
• Other awards received 
• Attends GSBS Commencement 
• Each applicant will be asked to submit a complete C.V./resume; two letters of recommendation; and a brief narrative describing the accomplishments they have made during their graduate career. 

Selection Committee:

From nominations submitted by GSBS students, the Dean will appoint a selection committee composed of seven members: five faculty and two students. The selection committee will choose two award recipients based on the criteria listed above. Dr. Michael Blanton serves as a non- voting member representing the GSBS.

Monetary Award:

Award recipients may receive a plaque, a medallion, and /or a monetary or travel award. The amount of a monetary award will be determined by the GSBS office.

K. Wyatt McMahon Outstanding GSBS Student – selected from doctoral nominations

• Required to attend the GSBS Commencement 
• Serves as GSBS Commencement speaker 
• Must provide text of speech for GSBS approval of content

Dean’s Recognition Award – selected from master of science nominations

• Required to attend the GSBS Commencement 
• Reads the description of the GSBS seal at Commencement 

GRADUATION

Grade Requirement for Graduation.

• The minimum requirement for graduation is a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses taken for graduate credit, exclusive of the credits for the thesis/dissertation. Procedures to appeal a grade may be found in the Complaint Policy. 
• No final grade assigned for a graduate-level course may be raised unless an error has been made. Substituting another course for one completed with a low grade is not permitted. 
• Work completed at another graduate school with a grade less than B will not be accepted, nor will grades of Pass or Satisfactory. Grades on transferred work will not contribute to the grade average on courses completed at TTUHSC. 

Semester of Graduation.

There are three official graduation dates: May, August and December. Every candidate for a graduate degree must be registered in the GSBS in the semester of graduation. Failure to graduate at the expected time requires additional registrations as necessary until graduation. Doctoral students who have been admitted to candidacy and accumulated 120 hours may be eligible to reduce hours during their last year (see 129 Hour Rule). Masters students are required to register for 9 hours. Off-campus students may register for 1 hour of thesis, dissertation, or research until graduation. Students receiving financial assistance should consult financial aid prior to reducing hours.

Statement of Intention to Graduate.

A student planning to graduate must file a Statement of Intention to Graduate with the GSBS office at the beginning of the semester of intended graduation. No candidate’s name will be placed on a tentative list for graduation for any graduation date unless this statement has been received in the GSBS Office by the specified deadline. The deadline to file the intent to graduate is posted on the GSBS website under Graduation Deadlines.

A candidate who fails to graduate at the expected time is required to file a new Statement of Intention to Graduate for any subsequent graduation.

Students are also required to complete the HSC Intent to Graduate on the Student Services website.

Graduation Fee.

Early in the semester of graduation, the candidate will pay a graduation fee to cover the cost of printing the diploma. This fee is paid again if the student does not graduate in the semester in which the fee was paid.

DEGREE PROGRAMS

The Master’s Degree

Prerequisites.

A substantial body of undergraduate work in the major subject and considerable breadth of background are essential for graduate study. Therefore, students whose undergraduate programs are considered deficient in breadth or depth may be required to complete additional preparatory work without degree credit. Such undergraduate “leveling” courses must be completed with a grade of C or better.

Degree Checklist.

It is recommended that students utilize the degree checklist throughout their entire study to ensure they meet required milestones for their degree.

Basic Plans for the Master’s Program.

The GSBS master’s programs are comprised of at least 24 semester hours of graduate work (which may include a thesis) in a subject which has been approved and for which the student has, or completes without degree credit, the necessary prerequisites for a graduate major.

There are two basic plans for the master’s degree:

1. A minimum of 24 hours of graduate course work plus 6 hours of thesis (6000). The courses for the master’s degree with a thesis should be approved by the research mentor (committee chair) and not the graduate advisor. 
2. A minimum of 36 hours of graduate course work without a thesis. 

A minimum of 6 hours of research (7000) is required for the master’s degree. Up to 6 hours of research may count toward the total number of hours required for the degree (24 – thesis masters; 36 – nonthesis masters). The Master of Public Health program will allow GSPH 5323 – Culminating Experience and GSPH 5320 – Public Health Practicum to count as the equivalency of 6 hours of research.

The option to offer thesis or non-thesis degrees is a program/concentration-specific decision.

Filing the Official Degree Plan and Admission to Candidacy.

After the first semester of enrollment (as soon as 9 to 12 semester hours of the work listed in the degree plan have been completed), the student should submit to the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences a Master’s Degree Plan & Application for Admission to Candidacy form. Delay in submission of a degree plan may result in postponement of admission to candidacy and graduation.

When the student receives an approved copy of the Master’s Degree & Application for Admission to Candidacy form from the GSBS Office, he or she is expected to follow it as the basis of all subsequent enrollments. Substitution of courses can be made upon submission of a signed copy of the Changes to the Degree Plan form and the approval of the GSBS Office.

Approval of a Master’s Degree Plan and Application for Admission to Candidacy form does not, however, constitute admission to candidacy for a master’s degree. It merely signifies that the proposed plan will be acceptable if the student satisfies all of the regulations of the GSBS and all of the requirements connected with the degree plan.

Admission to candidacy will be automatically granted at such time as all of the following requirements have been met.

1. All conditions relating to admission to the program/concentration have been met including the submission of the Master’s Degree Plan & Application for Admission to Candidacy form. 
2. At least 9 semester hours of the graduate work required for the master’s degree have been completed (exclusive of transfer courses). 
3. All required leveling work has been completed with C or better grades. 
4. An average grade of 3.0 or better has been maintained in all courses comprising the official program exclusive of leveling work.
5. The general field of the thesis has been stated and approved. If applicable. 
6. Work to date is acceptable to the faculty concerned, as attested by their approval of the application for admission to candidacy. 
7. The entire degree plan conforms to the general requirements of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the requirements of the particular degree. 

 Residence.

Study leading to a graduate degree involves sustained residence as well as the successful completion of course work. Residence is credited for work done on the campus of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and for certain types of courses (theses, internships, individual study, or other such courses) when offered by TTUHSC faculty. Ordinarily, the minimum residence for any master’s degree is a full academic year of graduate work completed on a TTUHSC campus. Part-time enrollment is evaluated on an individual basis.

Research Thesis and Defense.

The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences strongly encourages each student to write and defend a research thesis. No student should expect the defense to be based solely on performance in the classroom. A final public oral examination (defense) may be scheduled after the thesis has been read by the advisory committee. The examination may not be administered until at least three weeks have elapsed following the candidate’s submission to the GSBS Office of the notification form giving the time, place, and other information pertaining to the defense. The instructions and forms are available on the GSBS website.

The thesis defense is conducted by the advisory committee and a representative of the GSBS Dean. All members of the committee participate fully in the examination and cast a vote. Faculty other than members of the committee may participate in the examination but have no vote in determining the outcome. At the conclusion of the defense, the Thesis Oral Defense Signature form should be forwarded to the GSBS Office.

A student who does not receive a satisfactory evaluation may be assessed again after an interval of four months or more. At the discretion of the student’s advisory committee, a student who receives a satisfactory evaluation, but who does not graduate within 12 months, may be required to repeat the assessment.

A manual entitled Thesis – Dissertation Formatting Guidelines is available for additional information on writing styles for the thesis. Deadlines and more information on this process are available through the GSBS website on the Current Students page.

Non-Thesis Final Comprehensive Evaluation.

The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences strongly encourages a final comprehensive evaluation for all non-thesis students in a master’s program. Thesis students typically defend their thesis in lieu of a final comprehensive written examination. The final evaluation (written or oral) should require a synthesis and application of knowledge acquired during the course of study and research leading to the master’s degree.

A student is eligible to undergo evaluation only after having been admitted to candidacy by the GSBS Office. As soon as possible after the evaluation, a written report of the outcome should be sent to the GSBS Office. A student who does not receive a satisfactory evaluation may be assessed once again after an interval of four months or more. The student must earn a grade of B or better on the comprehensive evaluation to qualify for graduation. At the discretion of the program/concentration concerned, a student who receives a satisfactory evaluation but who does not graduate within 12 months may be required to repeat the assessment.

Students in the Master of Public Health program who wish to complete a project rather than a research thesis should form a committee of at least two faculty members who are interested in the proposed project and willing to work with the student. These faculty members will work with the student to develop a grading rubric before the student begins work on the project. The student must submit to the committee the goals and objectives of the project before beginning work on the project, and the faculty must sign off on these goals and objectives.

Oral Report: Students choosing a project will present an oral report of their project to the faculty and students. Students should arrange to have the time and date of the presentation posted at least one week before the scheduled presentation.

Final Written Report: While students that select the Non-Thesis Option are not required to write and orally present a research thesis, the program does require submission of a final written report of the outcome of the project.

Time Limit.

Work credited toward a master’s degree must be completed within six years. GSBS students whose graduate study is interrupted by military service will be granted an extension of time for the period of their military duty, not exceeding five years.

The Doctoral Degree

Admission to Doctoral Study.

Admission to doctoral study is restricted to applicants whose backgrounds show definite promise of success on this, the highest level of academic endeavor.

Degree Checklist.

It is recommended that students utilize the degree checklist throughout their entire study to ensure they meet required milestones for their degree.

Years of Study.

A minimum of three years of graduate study beyond the bachelor’s degree is required for the doctorate. Work completed for the master’s degree may be considered as a part of this period if it forms a logical sequence in the entire degree program. Ordinarily, credit will not be given for work completed more than seven years prior to admission to the doctoral program at TTUHSC. Exceptions to this policy will require written justification by the graduate advisor and approval by the GSBS Dean following review by the Core Curriculum Committee.

Work completed in the doctoral program of another recognized graduate school will be considered on the recommendation of the graduate advisor, but no assurance can be given that such work will reduce the course or residence requirements. In no case can transferred credit reduce the minimum residence (see Residence Requirements).

Doctoral study cannot be calculated solely in terms of credit hours, but the program for the doctorate requires the completion of 72 or more semester hours of work beyond the bachelor’s degree. Typically the 72 credit hours is broken down into 48 didactic hours; 12 hours (maximum) of research and 12 hours (maximum) of dissertation. Prior approval by the Dean is required for any exceptions.

Residence Requirement.

The intent of doctoral residency is to ensure that doctoral students benefit from, and contribute to, the complete spectrum of educational and professional opportunities provided by the graduate faculty. When establishing residency, the student should interact with faculty and peers by regularly attending courses, conferences and seminars, and utilize the library facilities and resources needed to support excellence in graduate education. Doctoral candidates must complete at least three (3) years of full-time graduate level work beyond the baccalaureate degree (or one year beyond the master’s degree), of which at least one academic year – the residency year – must be spent in residence on the TTUHSC campus. The residence requirement is fulfilled by the completion of at least 9 hours of course work in each of the two long terms and 6 hours in the summer. Other patterns for fulfilling residency requirements require approval of the GSBS Office.

Filing a Degree Plan.

The Doctoral Degree Plan will be submitted to the GSBS during the Spring semester of the second year of work. Revisions of the plan are permitted as needed by submitting the Changes to the Degree Plan form.

Advisory Committee.

As soon as an applicant’s program/concentration has been determined, an advisory committee of at least four members of the graduate faculty will be appointed by the GSBS Office on the recommendation of the graduate advisor. This committee will meet at least annually with the applicant and will direct his or her work at all stages. The expectations of committee members, the advisor, and the Dean’s representative are available on the GSBS website. The Chair of a student’s committee must hold a full or associate membership in the program/concentration from which the student will receive the doctorate. Students may elect to have a co-Chair, who must have a graduate faculty appointment. It is strongly recommended that one of the committee members be outside the student’s concentration and preferably a prominent scientist from another institution in the field of the dissertation research.

Qualifying Examination.

The Qualifying Examination for Admission to Candidacy for the doctoral degree is one of the major features of the doctoral program and will be administered in the major area of study. The examination requires a synthesis and application of knowledge acquired during the course of study for the doctoral degree; consequently, successful performance in course work does not necessarily guarantee successful performance on the Qualifying Examination. The purpose of the Qualifying Examination is to ensure that students have mastered the fundamentals in a major area of interest, and they are adequately prepared to begin working full-time on doctoral research.

The following policies and procedures apply to ALL current Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. students, regardless of which concentration they have chosen. For detailed information regarding the Qualifying Examination for Pharmaceutical Sciences students, click here.

A student is eligible to stand for this examination after receiving approval of the doctoral degree plan from the GSBS Office and completing most of the course work prescribed by the approved plan. Students may take the Qualifying Examination as soon as they have completed core coursework, however, it must be completed by the end of the third year. There will be no additional exams given after the deadline. Each exam component (written and oral) can be remediated once. A petition for an extension should be made by the mentor and approved by the Dean of the GSBS. Failure to pass both exam components before this deadline may result in termination of the student from the Biomedical Sciences program/GSBS. If a student fails the qualifying examination, but is in good academic standing, the student may graduate with a Non-Thesis M.S. degree, if all requirements are met. The topic of the qualifying exam may be on any relevant research area. The research topic may not be the aims of an existing or submitted research proposal from the mentor or anyone other than the student.

The qualifying exam will be written in the NIH R01 format. It should contain an abstract/project summary, specific aims and research strategy.

The composition of the Examination Committee will be determined by the mentor and the student. There will be 5 to 6 voting members on each committee including the mentor. At least 2 of the members must be from outside the concentration. The Chair of the Committee will be elected by the committee members. The mentor is ineligible to be the Chair.

The Examination Committee votes (pass/fail) on both the written and oral exam components. If a student receives more than one negative vote for one component, this will constitute failure of the respective exam component. The written exam must be passed before the oral exam will be given. An overall pass in the oral exam constitutes a pass on the Qualifying Exam.

The oral exam should be presented as a typical public seminar (40-45 minutes) followed by an open Q&A discussion that will not exceed 15 minutes. This presentation will be followed by a closed- door committee examination.

The exam timeline is as follows:

1. Year 1 (defined as the year when Ph.D. students enter the GSBS; for M.D./Ph.D. students, Year 1 begins upon entering the Ph.D. portion of the program, after completing USMLE Step 1). 
2. The members of the Examination Committee must be set at least 3 months prior to the Qualifying Examination. The Graduate Advisor and Student Affairs Advocate will be notified of the qualifying exam committee no later than 3 months prior to the examination. 
3. The qualifying exam will be written in the NIH R01 format. The student prepares and submits a one-page abstract/Specifics Aims of the proposed topic to the committee for approval. 
4. Once approved, the student submits the written exam within 8 weeks. 
5. After the written exam is submitted, the Examination Committee submits to the committee chair within 2 weeks a pass or fail/revision memo with justifications to the chair of the committee. If a student receives more than one negative vote, this will constitute failure of the written exam component. The student may submit one revised written exam, which is then voted on pass/fail; more than one negative vote will constitute failure of the written exam and failure on the Qualifying Exam. 
6. The oral exam is a public seminar followed by an oral examination by committee. The oral exam takes place 4 weeks after receiving a passing grade on the written exam. Only one examination committee member may be absent from the oral exam. A new chair should be chosen if the committee chair is absent. 
7. If a student receives more than one negative vote, this will constitute failure of the oral exam component. The student is afforded one opportunity to repeat the oral examination.

Procedure When the Examination Is Successful.

If the Qualifying Examination is considered successful, the Chairperson of the advisory committee will send the Admission to Candidacy form to the GSBS Office for consideration by the Graduate Council. This recommendation should be forwarded as soon as possible after all the above requirements have been met.

Procedure When the Examination Is Not Successful.

If the Qualifying Examination is not successful, the Chairperson of the advisory committee will notify the GSBS Office in writing. Failure to complete/pass the Qualifying Examination within the specified time (deadline is the end of the third year) will result in dismissal from the program irrespective of performance in other aspects of doctoral study.

Admission to Candidacy.

Authority for admitting an applicant to candidacy for a doctoral degree is vested in the Graduate Council. Upon receipt of an Admission to Candidacy Request form from the advisory committee, the GSBS Office will submit it to the Graduate Council for approval.

By written communication, the GSBS Office will transmit the results of the council’s action to the applicant and to the Chairperson of the advisory committee. A student must be admitted to candidacy for the doctorate at least four months prior to the proposed graduation date.

Admission to Doctoral Candidacy

Purpose:

Admission to Candidacy indicates that a doctoral student has completed all coursework and has passed a comprehensive exam attaining the graduate level to begin working on their dissertation manuscript.

Completing the Admission to Candidacy Form

STEP 1: Verify the student is eligible for candidacy.

• A Doctoral Committee must be appointed prior to Admission to Candidacy 
• Students must have successfully completed the comprehensive Qualifying Examination certified by the doctoral committee. 
• All enrollment requirements for admission to candidacy have been met and the student:
  Has been continuously enrolled since entering the program
  Has no “I” on their record
  Has a minimum 3.00 overall GPA 
• The student’s degree plan must be on file with the GSBS office. 
• Once candidacy is approved, the student may enroll in dissertation hours in the following semester. Students may not enroll in dissertation hours until the semester following effective admission to candidacy. Once the student enrolls for dissertation hours, they must be continuously enrolled in dissertation hours every semester until graduation. 

STEP 2: Complete the Admission to Doctoral Candidacy form

STEP 3: Approvals (completed by the GSBS Office)

• GSBS Graduate Council Rep: Signed after approved at Graduate Council meeting 
• GSBS Office: Signed after approved at Graduate Council 

Proficiency in English.

A student found deficient in English may be required to satisfactorily complete certain specified courses in English usage (without graduate credit) before being considered for admission to candidacy for a graduate degree.

Dissertations.

A dissertation is required of every candidate for a doctoral degree. Successful performance in other areas does not necessarily guarantee the acceptance of a dissertation. Additional information such as formatting guidelines, posting public announcements and grading requirements are outlined in the Dissertations & Theses Policy.

Final Defense.

A final public oral examination, usually over the general field of the dissertation is required of every candidate for the doctorate. It may be scheduled a suitable time after the dissertation (not necessarily the final copy) has been read by the advisory committee. The dissertation copy is typically provided to the committee two weeks prior to the oral examination. The required Doctoral Exam/Defense Notification Form noting the time, place, and other information pertaining to the examination is available on the GSBS website. The examination is conducted by the advisory committee and a representative of the GSBS Dean. All members of the committee participate fully in the examination and cast a vote. Faculty members other than members of the committee, including the Dean’s representative, may participate in the examination, but have no vote in determining the outcome. At the conclusion of the examination, the Chairperson of the advisory committee will send the Dissertation Oral Signature Defense Form to the GSBS Office, giving the result of the examination.

Publication of Student Work.

Research is an integral facet of graduate study, and students are encouraged to seek publication of work done in pursuit of advanced degrees.  PhD students within the Biomedical Sciences program must publish at least one peer-reviewed original research paper prior to graduation (must be in press before submitting “Approval to Schedule Defense” form) or have the Dissertation Committee Chair request a waiver by the GSBS Dean.  In research where close collaboration with faculty advisors occurs, it is entirely appropriate in some disciplines for publications to be coauthored. In those disciplines where authorship order is not always alphabetical, the student will generally be first author in publications resulting from a thesis or dissertation.  In cases of considerable revision or addition of other data, order of authorship should be subject to mutual agreement, based on the nature and extent of contribution by the parties concerned, and in accordance with accepted practice in the discipline.

The faculty member may choose to use the data in pursuing publication when the student was supported in full or in part by the university or through a faculty grant to do the research involved, or when a faculty member contributed to the work in a way that is substantially above and beyond that normally expected of a major advisor, and the student elects not to pursue publication within a reasonable time, the faculty member must list the student as coauthor according to the conventions of the discipline involved and the relative extent of contribution or additional work required.

Time Limit.

All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within a period of eight consecutive calendar years, or four years from admission to candidacy, whichever comes first. Graduate credit for course work taken at TTUHSC more than eight calendar years old at the time of the final oral examination may not be used to satisfy degree requirements. Absent an extension, the student may be permitted to retake the Qualifying Examination, and upon passing that examination, be readmitted to candidacy by the Graduate Council for some period of time not to exceed four years.

129-Hour Rule

Purpose:

To define enrollment limits sanctioned by the Texas Legislature and outline the process for doctoral students approaching maximum limits. Master’s students may not reduce hours unless they are designated by the GSBS office as “off-campus” students. Master’s students that are designated as off-campus students should review the guidelines under “semester of graduation” within the Enrollment section. Reduced enrollment hours may affect financial aid status. Students are encouraged to check with financial aid, scholarship and loan officers before taking the reduced hours. International students should also check with the TTUHSC DSO to verify hours for compliance with the Department of Homeland Security. Typically, international students may only reduce hours in their last semester. Any exceptions must be approved and updated in SEVIS.

1. The degree plan for doctoral students must be submitted by the end of the second year of doctoral work. Each degree plan document must be signed by the graduate advisor certifying that the degree will be completed within the maximum fundable hours. The degree plan document will be forwarded to the GSBS Office for final approval and implementation. 
   
   
2. A formal review of all doctoral students will be instituted annually by the student's graduate advisory committee: 
   
   If progress is satisfactory, there must be a report, signed by the committee Chairman and the graduate advisor, which will be forwarded to the GSBS Office.
   
   If progress is unsatisfactory, the student may be terminated;
   
   Accumulation of excessive hours while failing to complete the degree will constitute unsatisfactory progress.
3. Minimum enrollment for:
   
   On-campus, non-assistantship students will be 6 hours in the regular semester (3 hours in the summer term).
   
   Students with assistantships will be 9 hours in each regular semester (6 hours in the summer term). 
   
   
4. Once a student has passed candidacy and accumulated 120 hours, the student may register for 3 hours each semester for up to one year.
   
   Ex. 3 hours - Fall; 3 hours - Spring; 3 hours - Summer
   
   NOTE: If student elects the 3-3-3 enrollment and does not complete the degree requirements within that period, the student must resume full-time status (9 hours per long semester). 
   
   
5. Students accumulating 130+ hours may pay out-of-state tuition (full-cost) and forfeit any GSBS state-funded Research Assistantship. The faculty mentor will be responsible for the student’s salary once the student exceeds 130 semester credit hours.
    
6. Out-of-state tuition may be waived for students exceeding 130 hours if those students entered the doctoral program with excessive hours from a master's degree. Requests for tuition waivers must be approved by the GSBS Office. 
   
   
7. Students must be admitted to candidacy at least four months prior to graduation. 
   
   
8. All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within a period of eight consecutive calendar years.

Dissertations & Theses

Purpose:

To define requirements of the dissertations and theses for graduate students.

Defenses are generally open to the public and considered open meetings. Defenses should be scheduled during an active term and not between terms or during extended break periods.

Dissertations.

A dissertation is required of every candidate for a doctoral degree. The dissertation work must earn a grade of at least B in order to qualify the student for graduation.

The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences strongly recommends that each student be required to present and defend a dissertation proposal before his or her committee early in the course of the research. The subject of the dissertation must be approved by the advisory committee and the GSBS Office at least four months before the candidate’s proposed date of graduation. The dissertation must demonstrate a mastery of the techniques of research, a thorough understanding of the subject matter and its background, and a high degree of skill in organizing and presenting the materials. The dissertation should embody a significant contribution of new information to a subject or a substantial reevaluation of existing knowledge, presented in a scholarly style. The work on the dissertation is constantly under the supervision of the advisory committee and any other faculty the committee or GSBS Office may consider necessary. A copy of the dissertation should be presented to the committee members and the Dean’s representative at least two weeks prior to the defense.

Thesis.

The master’s thesis is expected to represent independent work by the student, conducted under the supervision of the committee, and to be written clearly and concisely. As soon as the student’s area for thesis research has been determined, an advisory committee will be appointed by the GSBS Office upon the recommendation of the advisory Chair. The committee must consist of at least three members of the TTUHSC Graduate Faculty. More than one disapproving vote from the committee members shall constitute failure of the examination. The student must earn a grade of B or better on thesis work to qualify for graduation. A copy of the thesis should be presented to the committee members and the Dean’s representative at least two weeks prior to the defense.

Grading.

Dissertation and Thesis hours are graded with a CR except for the last semester in which a letter grade is assigned. At the instructor’s discretion, a letter grade may be assigned to the last 12 hours of dissertation (6 hours of thesis.) For doctoral students, the letter grade assigned for the written dissertation and oral presentation/defense is based upon evaluation by committee members using the Dissertation Rubric.

Hours.

Registration for at least 6 hours of 6000 is required for the master’s thesis and at least 12 hours of 8000 for a doctoral dissertation. Once thesis/dissertation hours have begun, a student must be enrolled in such courses every semester until graduation unless granted an official leave of absence. Students may not enroll in thesis or dissertation courses before formal admission to a degree program by the GSBS Office.

Reference Manual.

A manual entitled Thesis – Dissertation Formatting Guidelines is available. All manuscripts must conform to the published policies. The final copy of the dissertation must be submitted electronically to the ETD website. Dissertations/theses must be accompanied by an abstract of no more than 350 words.

GSBS does not require a bound copy, although additional copies may be required by the advisory committee. The GSBS Office recommends utilizing www.thesisondemand.com to purchase bound copies, however any bindery is acceptable.

ETD – Electronic Thesis & Dissertations.

The final copy of the dissertation or thesis must be submitted electronically to the GSBS office along with the ETD Account Information for HSC Students. Detailed instructions for completing the ETD account information is available on the GSBS website. The GSBS will forward the documents to the TTU Library for archival on the ETD website.

Fees.

Early in the semester of graduation, the candidate will pay the HSC Bursar’s Office a document fee to cover the cost of uploading and storing the thesis to the ETD website.

Dissertation Announcements:

Department Coordinators should notify all GSBS faculty and the GSBS office of all defenses at least 6 weeks prior to the defense for posting to the GSBS on-line event calendar. Faculty interested in attending the defense at an off-site location should notify coordinators at least 4 weeks prior to the defense so room arrangements can be made and TechLink secured. Two (2) weeks prior to the defense, coordinators should prepare and forward a copy of the dissertation announcement template to all GSBS faculty and students. Coordinators will also be responsible for posting on the TV monitors and bulletin boards, etc.

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)

Purpose:

To inform the students and parents of Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.

Overview

Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO) Home

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students."

• Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student's education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies. 
• Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information. 
• Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31): 
  • School officials with legitimate educational interest; 
  • Other schools to which a student is transferring; 
  • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes; 
  • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student; 
  • Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school; 
  • Accrediting organizations; 
  • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena; Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; 
  • and State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Directory Information

Schools may disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

For additional information or technical assistance, you may call (202) 260-3887 (voice). Individuals who use TDD may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

Or you may contact the following address:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920

RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS

Purpose:

To outline the Texas Education Code and to list benefits provided to research assistantship positions.

Texas Education Code Statute: Section 54.063.

A teaching assistant or research assistant of any institution of higher education, and the spouse and children of such a teaching assistant or research assistant, are entitled to register in a state institution of higher education by paying the tuition fees and other fees or charges required for Texas residents under Section 54.063 of this code, without regard to the length of time the assistant has resided in Texas if the assistant is employed at least one-half time in a teaching or research assistant position which is related to the assistant’s degree program under rules and regulations established by the employer institution.

Students employed as teaching or research assistants employed at least half time by any public institution of higher education in a degree program-related position may pay the same tuition while attending any public institution of higher education as a resident of Texas for themselves, their spouses, and their dependent children, regardless of the length of residence in the state. The institution which employees the students shall determine whether or not the students’ jobs relate to their degree programs. If the spouse or children attend an institution other than the one employing the research or teaching assistant, they must provide proof of his or her current employment to the college they attend. It is the intent of this rule that employment be for the duration of the period of enrollment for which a waiver is awarded.

Enrollment.

Students on research assistantships must be full-time students. The minimum enrollment for full-time graduate status is 9 hours in the regular semester and at least 6 hours in the summer term. Students on assistantships must matriculate every semester or the assistantship will be temporarily suspended until the next semester of matriculation. All doctoral students upon acceptance into GSBS will be employed as a research assistant funded either by the GSBS or the department. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Dean. The research assistantship will be funded for a total of 5 years with the GSBS paying 40 months and the PI paying 20 months or 34% of the total funding. Students matriculating after 6/1/19 are under the new funding structure of 50/50 (50% by GSBS / 50% by PI). Any funding past the 5th year for a doctoral student or students accumulating over 129 semester credit hours, will be the responsibility of the department/PI. For continuation of the research assistantship from year to year, the student must be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward a degree.

Fee Waivers.

Students must be appointed before the 12th class day of the fall or spring semester (4th class day of the summer term) as a benefits eligible research assistant with employment of at least one-half time to be eligible for fee waivers. The student must be employed for 4 ½ months in a semester to qualify for the waivers. If the student leaves early or does not meet the 4 ½ month criteria, the fee waivers will be revoked and the student will be required to pay the balance due. GSBS Students that are employed as Research Assistants that are also taking TTU course will not be eligible for fee waivers for the TTU Tuition and fees. Fee waivers are only guaranteed for GSBS courses.

1. Fee Assistance Program: Exempts, by Board of Regents action, the student from the payment of Institutional Tuition Student Services Fee, Information Technology Fee, Library Fee, University Fee, Recreation Center Fee, and Course Fees. 
2. Non-Resident State Tuition Exemption Form: Exempts a student from the payment of non- resident tuition over and above the state resident rate. 
3. Medical Services Waiver Form: Waives the student from payment of the Medical Services Fee.   

For additional information on student employment, please refer to HSC OP 70.27 - Appointment of Student Employees

Student Employment

Research Assistants are expected to work in the lab 20 hours per week. The additional hours in the lab (those over 20) are required for fulfillment of coursework and/or dissertation preparation. Students that have RAs may work a flex schedule to cover 10 work days out of the lab per academic year. Any time taken beyond 10 work days each year will be considered leave without pay. Work days are defined by the GSBS calendar and exclude holidays. The 10 flex days may not be accumulated and shall not be carried forward to the next year.

Research Assistant positions are not entitled to vacation or sick leave. Student employment is governed by the Governed Code, Chapter 661 of the Texas Statutes. Excerpts from the Code are provided below to assist the GSBS Faculty and Students. The complete verbatim document may be viewed at: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/statutes.html

Leave of Absence

Full-time students must be registered every semester. In extreme circumstances it may be necessary for a student to be absent from their studies or research for an extended time. If a student desires leave exceeding 10 days and the leave is not medically necessary, the leave must be officially approved by the advisor/mentor and Assistant Dean prior to such time as the leave has been taken. Students planning any leave should promptly consult with their faculty mentor/advisor, meet with the GSBS Student Affairs Advocate, and submit the GSBS Leave of Absence form for approval. No leave shall be granted during the Fall or Spring semesters unless medically necessary; exceptions to this policy must have GSBS approval. It is the student’s responsibility to notify their mentor of any time out of the lab. Any student who fails to register for three consecutive semesters (12 months) and who does not have an official leave of absence from study is subject to review for readmission. Normally, leaves of absence will not exceed one year and do not extend the maximum time allowed for completion of the degree. If extended leave is taken that is not officially approved by the Assistant Dean or is not medically necessary, the student employee is subject to disciplinary actions including but not limited to termination.

The following Leaves of Absence may be requested:

• Personal and Planned Educational Leaves of Absence: Defined as a planned interruption or pause in a student's regular education during which the student temporarily ceases formal studies. Such activities may be for the purpose of clarifying or enriching educational goals or to allow time to address personal matters and thus enhance the prospect of successful completion of the student's academic program. The student must plan to return to the GSBS at the end of the approved leave period. 
• Medical Leave of Absence: The student must provide documentation from a health care professional confirming that the student is unable to engage in graduate study; such documentation should include a statement as to when the student may be expected to resume classes. Students on Medical Leave are not allowed to attend GSBS classes or participate in student organizations, programs and/or activities. Pregnant or parenting students, please see additional information below. 
  • Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, absence for pregnancy, childbirth, or parenting responsibilities will extend the maximum time allowed for completion of the degree equivalent to the length of the leave. Upon return from leave, the student will be reinstated to the academic status held when the leave began. Absences because of pregnancy or childbirth will be approved for as long as the student’s doctor deems the absences is medically necessary. Students must notify the GSBS of leave via the Leave of Absence form. 

Student Health Information

Purpose:

To define the availability of health services to graduate students.

1. STUDENT FEES: All HSC students are required to pay the TTUHSC Medical Services Fee each semester. With this fee, you can access healthcare in the clinic and see a nurse or physician at no charge for minimal or limited minor problems. Students who hold research assistantships may elect to waive the medical services fee since they are considered employees and are eligible for employee health benefits. More information on this fee and its benefits can be located at the Student Services Site. 
2. MANDATORY STUDENT INSURANCE AND WAIVER: All TTUHSC students are required to have health insurance. In order to ensure coverage, students are automatically enrolled in the University-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) unless an approved waiver is submitted. Academic Health Plans (AHP) administers the Student Health Insurance Plan for TTUHSC. Students without an approved waiver for the Student Health Insurance Plan are billed directly by AHP.
3. All GSBS students are required to have adequate annual health insurance, which is separate from the Medical Services Fee. “Annual” is defined as one school year (August – July). GSBS requires students to bring their insurance cards to the office to prove insurance coverage. Options for health insurance include: 
   1. Research assistantships are eligible to pay for employee health benefits. You must visit Human Resources to sign up for this insurance. 
   2. Students may purchase the HSC Academic Health Plan. For more information on this plan see the Student Services Site. 
   3. Students may purchase health insurance outside of the HSC. 
   4. Students may be covered by their family insurance plan. 
4. IMMUNIZATION AND SCREENING FEE: Each Fall students are assess an Immunization and Screening Fee that includes the initial validation and maintenance of immunization records as required for Healthcare Personnel. Immunization records are kept up to date through the Office of Institutional Health. Annual services provided are TB screening, Influenza Vaccine, and completion of Hepatitis B vaccine post matriculation. The Office of Institutional Health also provides follow up for any blood borne pathogen exposure that may occur while you are a student at TTUHSC. 

MD/MS Guidelines

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Medicine offer a combined MD/MS degree program for eligible medical students. TTUHSC medical students in good academic standing that are interested in the MD/MS program should contact the GSBS Office for further information. To formally apply to the MD/MS program, the applicant should submit a written request to the GSBS Dean (cc research mentor and graduate.school@ttuhsc.edu) and within the letter specify the faculty member (must have graduate faculty status) that has agreed to serve as a mentor for MS research. The GSBS will coordinate with SOM in reviewing this request.

BASIC PROGRAM: TTUHSC medical students may apply to the MD/MS program upon completion of their second (MS II) or third (MS III) year of medical school. MS II students must pass the USMLE Step I Exam prior to matriculating into the MD/MS program. In July/August, MD/MS students will be engaged full time in biomedical research in the lab of a TTUHSC faculty member who has GSBS Graduate Faculty status. Culminating in a M.S. thesis (thesis track) or final report (non-thesis track), the program typically ends in June and the student returns to study in SOM.

A) Thesis Option

GSBS requires a minimum of 24 hours of graduate work (which may include up to 6 hours of research) plus 6 additional hours of thesis.

Intent to Graduate – A student planning to graduate must file in the GSBS office the Statement of Intent to Graduate at the beginning of the semester of intended graduation. Students should check the GSBS website for the graduation deadline dates.

Final Oral Report - Once the committee agrees that the research is complete, plans for the writing and defending a student’s thesis should be made. A draft of the thesis and an abstract must be submitted to the Advisory Committee at least two weeks prior to the final oral examination.

Thesis Defense – Students defend their thesis in a final public seminar followed by a private oral examination by their Advisory Committee. The written thesis must be submitted to the Advisory Committee two weeks prior to the Defense date. Evaluation of the defense and determination of its outcome is documented by the Advisory Committee and reviewed with the student. The results of the defense are recorded on the Thesis Oral Defense form and the Thesis Signature form.

B) Non-Thesis Option

GSBS requires a minimum of 36 hours of graduate course work.

Intent to Graduate – A student planning to graduate must file in the GSBS office the Statement of Intent to Graduate at the beginning of the semester of intended graduation. Students should check the GSBS website for graduation deadlines.

Final Written and Oral Report: While students that select the Non-Thesis Option are not required to write and orally defend a MS thesis, the program does require submission of a final written report that should take the form of a peer-reviewable manuscript from a scientific journal of your choosing and which contains the applicant’s research and an oral defense of this manuscript.

REQUIREMENTS: MD/MS students are allowed to transfer up to 15 credit units from MS I and MS II coursework. In addition, they must also complete: • the GSBS Responsible Conduct of Research course, • at least two elective didactic courses (e.g. Biomedical Statistics; Bioinformatics, etc.), preferably one in the fall and one in the spring • at least 12 hours of research • Seminar (fall and spring) and • 6 hours of MS thesis coursework (for thesis track). Additional details of the requirements for the M.S. in Biomedical Sciences or Biotechnology are provided elsewhere in the GSBS Catalog. Concentrations within the Biomedical Sciences M.S. program also publish guidelines delineating additional requirements.

ASSISTANTSHIPS

MD/MS students will be provided with a monthly salary of $2083.33 (each 1/3 amount will be provided by GSBS, SOM, and faculty mentor respectively). From this salary amount the student is responsible for costs of tuition, student health insurance requirement, books, etc.

ENROLLMENT

MD/MS students will enroll for the duration of the program. Registration for a typical student is:

August – Fall: 10 hours (minimum)
January – Spring: 11 hours (minimum)
Summer – 1 hour (must be registered in the semester of graduation)

• Research assistantship paid through June

MD/PhD Guidelines

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Medicine offer a combined MD/PhD degree program for eligible students interested in training preparatory to a career in Biomedical Research/Academic Medicine.

The following policies and guidelines have been established for this program:

APPLICATION, INTERVIEW & SELECTION PROCESS:

Students will apply through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) at http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm. A secondary SOM application is also required and information can be found at https://www.ttuhsc.edu/som/admissions/secondaryapp/default.aspx The secondary application fee is $60.00. Entry into the MD/PhD program is also possible for traditional MD students enrolled in the TTUHSC SOM as described below.

Once a student has applied to AMCAS, the selection committees from both schools invite selected applicants for interviews. The MD/PhD interviews are coordinated through the School of Medicine’s Admissions Office. The interview is tailored to match the interests of the applicant and will possibly include one or more graduate faculty members, the GSBS Sr. Associate Dean, and one current MD/PhD student.

The GSBS faculty who conduct interviews with prospective MD/PhD applicants will return an evaluation form to the GSBS. The forms will be used by the GSBS Dean and/or Sr. Associate Dean and the MD/PhD selection committee to begin ranking the prospective applicants by the end of October. The selection criteria will be based on three general categories: academic record, acceptable test scores, and the individual profile which includes, but is not limited to, recommendations, research background, motivation, and interviews. The GSBS Sr. Associate Dean and the SOM Associate Dean for Admissions (or a designated representative) will meet in early November to determine the rankings and make initial offers. The number of offers will vary depending on the availability of research assistantships.

Biomedical Sciences MD/PhD students enter the GSBS as Undeclared, and following a research lab rotation, select a mentor and graduate concentration within the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. Concentrations available within the Biomedical Sciences MD/PhD program include: 1) Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, 2) Immunology & Infectious Diseases, 3) Molecular Biophysics, and 4) Translational Neuroscience & Pharmacology.

MD/PhD students may also pursue the Ph.D. degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

ENROLLMENT OPTIONS:

The MD/PhD curriculum is flexible to accommodate the academic needs of the students, most commonly the need for increased research time. Students commonly enter the program at entry to medical school at TTUHSC after receiving their bachelor’s or master’s degree. However, students may enter after one or two years in medical school or in pre-doctoral education and training. To be eligible, traditional TTUHSC medical students must have completed at least one year of medical school, evidenced serious interest in research by completing (at a minimum) a TTUHSC summer medical student research rotation with a favorable letter of recommendation from their research mentor, and have successfully fulfilled the MD/PhD Program retention criteria (below) for Years 1 and/or 2 of medical school prior to applying. Additionally, on a case-by-case basis, students successfully completing the MD/MS program may be able to enter the MD/PhD program with the concurrence of the MD/PhD Physician Scientist Operating Committee, the MD/PhD Program Selection Committee, the Dean of the GSBS, and [one of] the Dean/Associate Dean for Academic Affairs/Associate Dean of Admissions of the SOM. In these latter cases, adjustments are made in the curricular plan to optimize the approach for the student.

Typically, the pattern for enrollment from bachelor’s or master’s degree status at entry to medical school is as follows (Option 1):

Students typically arrive in the summer after graduation from college and begin a laboratory rotation in a field close to their prior research or in a field they are seriously considering for their doctoral dissertation. This rotation allows them to adjust to the campus and begin learning about the variety of possibilities for future research. In early August, MD/PhD students matriculate in the medical school and begin their course work. During the summer following the first year of medical school, the student has approximately two months for another laboratory rotation. After completing the second year of medical school, and typically by the end of June, students must take and achieve a passing score on the USMLE Step 1 examination, as outlined in SOM OP 40.04 - Student Promotion. No more than two weeks after taking the USMLE Step 1, students are required to begin their thesis research. Students who successfully complete the 2nd year of medical school will have completed 30 hours of credit that will be applied to their GSBS transcript and will have the 1st year GSBS curriculum waived even if they should subsequently withdraw from medical school. The PhD requirements of the GSBS and the concentration in which the student has selected will apply. (Option 2) Students also have the option to complete a 3rd year of medical school prior to returning to the GSBS. Students returning to the GSBS after their second or third year of medical school must obtain a memo from the SOM releasing them to take courses beginning in the Fall.

In consultation with the student and the basic science academic director/advisor, a clinical co-advisor will be identified, preferably in the first year. The GSBS Sr. Associate Dean will serve as the facilitator of this process. This clinical advisor will be a part of the student committee, however, s/he will only have voting rights if they also hold a graduate faculty appointment. Students are encouraged to arrange shadowing experiences with their clinical mentor throughout their research project to maintain the clinical skills they obtained in the Development of Clinical Skills (DOCS) course. The clinical clerkships will be completed on the campus where the doctoral research project was conducted.

In the third year of the student’s doctoral program, students will work intensively on their research project. Most of the students at the end of the 3rd year or early in the 4th year have completed coursework. The course requirements are determined by the individual concentrations and may vary depending on the area of research. Generally by the time the coursework is completed, the student is well established in research with his or her thesis mentor. The length of time that is required to complete the research, write a dissertation and defend can vary. No influence is exerted by the concentration to attempt to shorten this phase of training. When the students are engaged in their research, they are subject to the same rules and expectations as any other doctoral students within that concentration. In addition to the preparatory work accomplished in the first two years while in medical school, students commonly spend three and a half to four years in graduate training. Students may not start clinical rotations until the dissertation has been successfully defended.

CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION:

Acceptable MCAT, GRE, and GPA scores are required. Previous research experience and motivation will be key features in the evaluation. The GRE is encouraged of all students applying to the MD/PhD program. In some cases the GRE requirement may be waived by the academic department based on the MCAT score. Candidates applying for the MD/PhD program after enrolling in the TTUHSC SOM as traditional medicals students must have completed at least one year of medical school, evidenced serious interest in research by completing (at a minimum) a TTUHSC summer medical student research rotation with a favorable letter of recommendation from their research mentor, and successfully fulfilled the MD/PhD Program retention criteria (below) for Years 1 and/or 2 of medical school prior to applying. Additionally, on a case-by-case basis, students successfully completing the MD/MS program may be able to enter the MD/PhD program with the concurrence of the MD/PhD Physician Scientist Operating Committee, the MD/PhD Program Selection Committee, the Dean of the GSBS, and [one of] the Dean/Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the SOM.

Retention Criteria

Students in the MD/PhD program must maintain: 

• SOM grades of Honors or High Pass in at least 2 of 4 didactic blocks from each of the first two years of the curriculum and a grade of Pass in the other blocks. Students in the MD/PhD program must also obtain at least a grade of Pass in Development of Clinical Skills 1 and 2 and any other curricular requirements. In the event that the SOM changes to a pass/fail grading system, the students in the MD/PhD program must Pass all curriculum blocks. 
• GSBS grades of B or better in each course 
• GSBS Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better 

 Any student who fails to maintain the standards described above during Year 1 of the medical school curriculum will meet with the GSBS Sr. Associate Dean and the SOM Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. These program co-chairs will determine the appropriate course of action, which may result in the student being placed on academic probation. Should a student who is on academic probation after Year 1 fail to maintain MD/PhD program standards in Year 2 of the medical school curriculum, a recommendation from the Program Co-Chairs will be submitted to the Dean of the GSBS that the student be dismissed from the MD/PhD program.

Any student who fails to obtain a passing score in USMLE Step 1 may be dismissed from the MD/PhD program and will fall under guidelines for Step 1 failure published in the TTUHSC SOM Student Handbook.

The requirements to maintain status in the MD/PhD program are at a higher level than those for retention in either the School of Medicine or the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. The student may withdraw from one or the other of the two Schools and, with consent of the Dean of the School, continue in the School of their choice if they continue to meet that School’s standards of performance and conduct. Any student who withdraws from the PhD component of the program must apply for early reinstatement to medical school through the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Any MD/PhD student who withdraws or is dismissed from the School of Medicine for any reason will be automatically dismissed from the MD/PhD program. Dismissal from the combined degree program, or voluntary withdrawal, shall result in discontinuance of the student’s research assistantship and scholarships.

FUNDING:

All MD/PhD students receive full tuition and financial support throughout their training, contingent on continued academic progress. Financial support consists of scholarships while in the SOM and a Research Assistantship while in GSBS. Students receiving a Research Assistantship are considered employees at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (50% FTE) and qualify for in-state tuition, fee waivers and health insurance benefits. Research Assistantship positions do not accrue sick leave or vacation. As an employee, the Texas Education Code (Sec. 54.065) allows for in-state tuition for non-residents. While completing the doctoral program, GSBS and the mentor share equally in funding the RA position.

** When students complete their doctoral degree, they return to scholarship support from the SOM, the research assistantship is discontinued and students are no longer eligible for health insurance benefits as an employee.

THE MD/PHD PHYSICIAN SCIENTIST OPERATING COMMITTEE

The committee consists of the Dean of the GSBS, the GSBS Sr. Associate Dean, the Dean of the School of Medicine, and the SOM Associate Dean for Admissions (or a designee named by the SOM Dean). In addition, the following members will be appointed in January by the GSBS Dean to serve 3 year terms. These appointments will be staggered to provide for continuity of the committees work:

• representatives from the faculty of the clinical departments of the School of Medicine (2), 
•  graduate faculty representatives from the GSBS doctoral concentrations (2) 
• and Two MD/PhD students.

Co-Chairs (SOM and GSBS) will provide oversight of this committee as appointed by their respective Dean’s. The faculty members will be selected because of their experience with the MD/PhD program and their expertise in certain scientific areas. Student participation serves to bring the perspective of the students to the deliberations of this body and, in turn, is helpful in the career training of the students. The student will be a full voting member. The SOM Director of Admissions and the GSBS Assistant Dean will staff the committee and will not be voting members.

The Physician Scientist Committee has a number of critical responsibilities:

1. the members serve as liaisons to academic departments or interdisciplinary programs; 
2. it reviews and advises on guidelines and general management decisions; 
3. the members are available as advisors to the students; 
4. in regard to individuals and any problem which may arise, the members may serve in an advisory function or sometimes as active intermediaries; and 
5. a representative from the committee will conduct exit interviews for students withdrawing from the program.

STUDENT EVALUATION SUBCOMMITTEE:

The MD/PhD student along with the student’s major advisor, the concentration Graduate Advisor, SOM Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and the SOM Assistant Dean for Student Affairs will attend annual reviews conducted by the GSBS Sr. Associate Dean in June of every year. A standardized form (Attachment A) is used to reflect grades for the term, an account of the student’s motivation, initiative, participation, and overall level of scholarship and research aptitude. The committee also advises on the future program components and timelines. The Sr. Associate Dean will report to the Physician Scientist Committee in June of every year on the progress of the students.

DIPLOMA:

Upon completion of the PhD requirements, MD/PhD students will receive their PhD diploma at the next designated graduation date (May, August, or December). Students are encouraged to attend the GSBS commencement ceremony. Graduates in August, December and May are all recognized at one ceremony held in May of every year. MD/PhD students will attend the SOM commencement upon completion of the medical degree, at which time they will receive special recognition. The School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences reserve the right to make changes in the MD/PhD program. Changes in policies and procedures will not be altered retrospectively and thus matriculated students will complete the MD/PhD program according to requirements in effect at the time of admission.